Overview

• ISRO–JAXA’s Implementing Arrangement was exchanged in Tokyo by JAXA vice president Matsuura Mayumi and India’s ambassador Sibi George during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.
• Launch architecture confirms JAXA’s H3‑24L will carry an ISRO-built lander that delivers a Japan-made rover to targeted sites near the Moon’s south pole.
• The mission focuses on in‑situ investigation of volatile materials, including lunar water, in and around permanently shadowed regions.
• Configuration details reported by officials and media include a roughly 6.5‑tonne spacecraft with a ~250 kg rover and seven instruments, featuring an ESA mass spectrometer and NASA neutron spectrometers alongside ISRO and JAXA payloads.
• Chandrayaan‑5 was financially sanctioned by India on March 10, 2025, follows Chandrayaan‑3’s 2023 south‑pole landing, and continues joint design work with industry participation, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.