The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) has resumed discussions over a potential comprehensive free trade agreement with India.

Delegations from the four EFTA nations - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland - met with their Indian counterparts from January 11th to 13th for a 15th round of negotiations, building on the progress of the previous meeting last October.

Discussions focused on outstanding issues regarding trade in goods and services, rules of origin and intellectual property rights, while the heads of the delegations also took time to review the state of play of all other relevant topics.

Both sides agreed to to hold the next round of negotiations in Geneva in spring 2017, with a view to concluding an agreement in the near future.

Free trade negotiations between EFTA and India commenced in October 2008, with 13 rounds of talks being held until November 2013, when the process was put on pause until its eventual resumption in 2016.