IIST is spearheading the experiment ‘CROP SEEDS on ISS’ wherein a host of food crop seeds, integrated as a biology payload in the Space Biology Laboratory are on board Axiom-4 mission. For this project, IIST has entered into an MoU with the Human Spaceflight Centre (HSFC), ISRO which was signed by Dr. Dipankar Banerjee, Vice Chancellor, IIST and Dr. D K Singh, Director HSFC at ISRO HQ on 21st May 2025. The science investigation team is led by Dr. K G Sreejalekshmi, Professor at IIST and PI of the project. IIST has identified College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University to collaborate on this project and to support with the seed samples and post-flight field studies. The payload comprises seeds of self-pollinating crops – cereals, pulse, vegetables and oil seeds, released by Kerala Agricultural University. The hardware integration at Space Biology lab was supported by ESA experts and the payload was shipped by IIST to the Kennedy Space Centre (KSC), NASA for the launch. The PI of the project Dr. K G Sreejalekshmi travelled to KSC, NASA for the final inspection and hardware turnover to the Axiom team. The ground control samples are maintained at the Space Biology Lab. Once the seeds return from space, they will be grown out in the fields for multiple generations to assess the unique effects of microgravity on various growth and yield parameters of these crop seeds. The experiment can bring vital clues on exploring microgravity as an environmental stress or that can bring useful traits in plants that can advance agriculture on Earth and in Space.