https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/chinese-scientist-claims-india-did-not-land-on-moons-south-pole/

Ouyang Ziyuan, often called the father of China’s moon program,
told the Chinese-language newspaper “Science Times” that India’s
Chandrayaan-3 Vikram Lander is far from the lunar south pole,
sitting at 69 degrees south latitude when the moon’s south pole
is between 88.5 and 90 degrees latitude.

.. . .

Sour grapes ?

Anyway, clearly India did NOT land "at the south pole" as
most of the news stories suggested. Their space agency
says it never claimed to have landed AT the south pole,
just "near" the south pole.

69 South really isn't very "near" IMHO ... the geochemistry
of great interest AT the pole won't be seen that far north.

Still, a significant achievement for India. Lots of landers
never make it at all. Too bad they let that little white lie
perpetuate in the press.

There MAY still be time for India however ... repeat the
mission, but this time be SURE to get within a few degrees
of the pole. They have a workable system, and may be in
a position to exploit it before anyone else can claim
the achievement.

I would rather have someone like India be "the first".
There are some concerns that China or Russia or maybe
even the USA/EU would sort of quasi-officially "claim"
the area if they made a good landing there. This part
of the moon is of global value as it's about the only
place where quantities of water have been confirmed
near the surface - super vital for any sort of colonies
and industries.

No nation SHOULD "claim" it, but MIGHT under some
circumstances. Consider China's expansion into the
western Pacific ... they just move in, make some kind
of flag-raising and essentially claim - and what's
anyone to DO about it ? Russia recently sent a probe
to near the same area. It was quite large - large
enough to house some missiles. Doesn't take a big
missile to 'defend' a low-grav airless planetoid
from enemy tin-foil probes/craft.

In human history/psychology/law ... "first-ness"
really DOES count a lot.

Hmmm ... maybe Norway should claim ownership of
eastern Canada ? The local indigenous could claim
ownership of the whole thing really :-)