India is going to do its first biological experiments on the International Space Station (ISS), Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday.These special experiments, called BioE3, will be done by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) together with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). They will happen during the upcoming ISS mission AXIOM-4, with Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on board.

The first experiment will study how space conditions like low gravity and radiation affect the growth of tiny edible algae. These algae could be a healthy food option for astronauts on long space trips. This project is a team effort between ISRO, NASA, and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). It will study how different types of algae grow in space compared to on Earth.

Scientists will look at important growth details and how the algae’s genes, proteins, and chemicals change in space.The goal is to find the best type of algae to use in space.Microalgae are great for space because they grow very fast,some can double in just 26 hours. This means they can quickly produce a lot of food or oxygen, which is very helpful for life in space.

The second experiment on the International Space Station (ISS) will study how certain bacteria, like Spirulina and Synechococcus, grow in space. These are called cyanobacteria and are known for growing quickly and making energy from sunlight.The scientists will test how they grow using two types of nutrients, urea and nitrate under space conditions with low gravity. Minister Jitendra Singh said that on long space missions, it's important to recycle carbon and nitrogen from human waste to survive. Cyanobacteria could help with this because they grow fast and can recycle waste while making oxygen and food.

Spirulina is also being studied as a “superfood” because it is rich in protein and vitamins. This experiment is part of a larger research project between ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology, with help from scientists at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in New Delhi.