India and Japan Join Hands for Chandrayaan-5: A Mission to the Moon’s South Pole

International News: India’s moon journey has got a new partner. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Japan, ISRO and JAXA signed an agreement to work together on Chandrayaan-5. The mission will mainly focus on exploring the South Pole of the moon, an area still hidden in permanent darkness.

What Chandrayaan-5 Aims to Do

Unlike the earlier missions, Chandrayaan-5 is about finding water and other resources in the permanently shadowed regions. These discoveries could play a key role for future lunar missions and, one day, even for human presence on the moon.

How the Two Agencies Will Work

The deal is clear: Japan will launch the mission using its H3-24L rocket. Inside will be an Indian-built lander and a Japanese rover. ISRO is also preparing scientific tools that will test and analyze materials collected from the moon’s polar surface. In simple words, India provides the lander and some of the instruments, while Japan brings in the rover and the launch vehicle.

Modi on India–Japan Space Ties

Speaking after the agreement, PM Modi said he was happy to see India and Japan join hands for what is being called the LUPEX mission. According to him, this partnership will give both nations a better understanding of the moon’s frozen polar regions. He also underlined that cooperation between ISRO and JAXA is not limited to government-to-government work; it is also encouraging startups and private industries to collaborate, turning research into real-world applications.

Space Is the Next Frontier

Modi pointed out that India’s space journey has always been about determination and innovation. From Chandrayaan-3’s landing at the lunar South Pole to interplanetary missions, the country has shown that space is not the “last” frontier but the “next” one. He added that the benefits of space science already touch daily life—whether in farming, disaster alerts, or better communication.

Why This Matters

For both nations, Chandrayaan-5 is more than just a mission. It signals a long-term partnership in space exploration. If successful, it could mark another historic step for India after the global attention it earned with Chandrayaan-3. For Japan too, it is a chance to deepen its role in Asia’s growing space race.