Lord Stephen Green, Minister of State for Trade and Investment was guest speaker at a dinner in Leicester.

The event was hosted by the President of LABA, Jaspal Singh Minhas and Vice President Rani Mahal.

Jaspal Singh Minhas said, "The East Midlands exports some £17.7 Million in goods and services.

"My company along with many British Asian businesses in the region play an active role in this.

"The region has attracted some £1 billion pounds worth of inward investment directly attributed to the Asian communities over the last two decades.

“Leicester has some eleven Indian banking institutions and the landscape for private Equity is thriving."

Since 1997, LABA via Indo British Trade Council under the Leadership Professor Nat Puri has taken lead on enhancing bilateral trade, inward investment and academic links with India.

This has been complemented with direct trade links with; East Africa, Uganda and Malawi in particular, the Middle East, Malaysia, Portugal, China, France, Germany, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Turkey” said Mr Minhas In his address Lord Green commended LABA’s contribution to international trade its commitment to enhance bilateral trade and inward investment and committed UKTI via its chief executive to a close partnership with LABA and Indo British Trade Council.

The event was also attended by the directors of the National Asian Business Association (NABA) - Nasir Awan of IAB Birmingham, Ninder Johal of BCABA , Jasbir Parmar from BABA and Uday Dholakia of LABA.

Guests included S V Ramalingham, the Consul General of India, Tankut Aydin the Turkish Commercial Consul, Professor Nat Puri DL, Dinesh bhai Patel, Mukesh Naker, and Manzoor Moghal MBE. High Sherriff of Leicestershire, Richard Brookes, Judge Simon Hammond, David Parsons CBE Chairman of Leicestershire County Council, Lord Mayor of Leicester Cllr Abdul Osman and Rosita Page CC Deputy Chairman of Leicestershire County Council.