Overview

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Tokyo that ISRO and JAXA will collaborate on the Chandrayaan-5 mission to the Moon.
• India Today reports that the mission could use an Indian-built lander, a Japanese-built rover, and a Japan-based launch, though these specifics have not been formally detailed.
• Officials and coverage frame the project as both a scientific effort and a sign of deepening strategic cooperation between the two countries.
• Reporting places Chandrayaan-5 after ISRO’s planned Chandrayaan-4 sample-return mission, which is under development.
• The tie-up builds on India’s 2023 near–south-pole landing by Vikram and Pragyan and on broader India–Japan collaboration highlighted during Modi’s visit.