India, Japan Collaborate on Chandrayaan-5 Lunar Mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday welcomed a landmark agreement between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for the Chandrayaan-5 mission, marking the next step in India’s lunar exploration.

Signed during the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit, the agreement formalises the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission, a joint effort to study the Moon’s south pole and search for water ice. Addressing a joint briefing with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Modi said, "India’s participation has gone beyond the limits of the Earth and will become a symbol of mankind’s progress in space."

The Chandrayaan-5 mission builds on the success of Chandrayaan-3, which in 2023 made India the first country to land near the lunar south pole. The historic landing drew global attention to the Moon’s shadowed craters, believed to contain water ice, a potential resource for future human missions.

Under the LUPEX mission, ISRO will develop the lunar lander and scientific instruments, while JAXA will provide the rover. The mission is planned to launch aboard Japan’s H3-24L rocket, combining Indian engineering with Japanese precision.

PM Modi described the collaboration as a "winning combination" of Indian ingenuity and Japanese technology. He also highlighted ongoing joint initiatives in high-speed rail, ports, aviation, shipbuilding, and mobility partnerships.

The LUPEX Implementing Arrangement was formally exchanged by JAXA Vice President Matsuura Mayumi and India’s Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George.

Looking ahead, India’s lunar ambitions extend beyond Chandrayaan-5. The mission is a key step toward sending Indian astronauts, or Gaganyatris, to the Moon by 2040. PM Modi told Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun that India’s space journey reflects the "determination, hard work, and innovation of our scientists," and that LUPEX would deepen understanding of the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions while strengthening industrial and startup partnerships between the two nations.

"Our partnership in space will not only expand horizons above us, but also improve lives around us," PM Modi added.

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