Wrong example my friend, even as India has the funds to purchase the likes of Rafale, it still pursues the decades old dream of fielding the LCA, not to mention others like Arjun and IJT.....one may ask why. ???
Yup. Self reliance. However we did not have the technological ability to create anything more advanced than the LCA. And thus we had to put a limit there.
On the contrary, Pakistan has to some extent fulfilled it's goal to be self sufficient in this field....JF-17, AL-Khalid and K-8 being prime examples. Isn't it ironic that on one side, PAF cut back on the option of 18 more Block-52s, yet it has the funds to build and induct other platforms in even larger numbers. !!
There are 3 phases here:
1. Assembling - from CKD, SKD
2. Licenced Manufacture
3. Building from your own designs
Well mate, as of now Pakistan is assembling JF-17 from kits. Its not building them. If you think of Pakistan being self sufficient is assembling JF-17 then you dont have an idea that India has been
building not just assembling planes for a really long time now.
That line that you have at Kamra right now - it assembles, not even licensed manufacture at the moment.
In about 3 years they start licence manufacturing - only some items, not even 50% of the plane.
The point of LCA was to develop our own indigenous components that go in that plane, not just buy everything from different sources and assemble them. How far along is Pakistan in that? Yes im NOT talking even about even licensed manufacture, im talking about building from your own design using your own technology.
If PAF had more money, they would have gone for assembling J-10's - customizing them as well as they dont like what the Chinese have right now.
They would have put up an assembly line for J-10's. Maybe after 5 years, they would have gone on to license manufacture of many items from that plane. They wouldnt be with JF-17's.