National defence is not your end-of-year exam. It is the safeguarding of your citizens. When it comes to national defence, its the end result that matters, not the means to the end. Defence is not something any nation wants to compromise on, it is something we should do ANYTHING for.
Who hasn't cheated for national defence? The Russians used espionage to copy many western products. They admitted proudly that their Vympel K-13 AAM is a reverse engineered AIM-9 captured during Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. The Russians said that the AIM-9 offered a 'university of learning'. Once they absorbed the tech, they started making upgrading and improving the missiles, and soon became self-reliant in AAMs.
Also, it is common knowledge that early US and Soviet jets were made by reverse engineering German jets, and US and Soviet ballistic missiles were reverse engineered V-2 rockets.
On the other hand, during first and second world wars, USA and USSR often got ToT from British and other allies, and also gave tech to their allies. Best example would be the British Rolls Royce Merlin Engine for the P-51 Mustang.
Whether its ToT or reverse engineering at the end of the day its national defence that matters. Also, reverse engineering is not easy. Its not photocopying, where something is blindly copied. Some tech is so complex that people trying to reverse engineer would be left stumped. It'll take years of research and learning just to understand the tech. So if the Chinese have managed to reverse engineer something, it is a credit to their scientist.
Also, Indians should understand that China doesn't have access to ToT the way we do. The best western tech is denied to them. So they have to reverse engineer. And if I were Chinese, I would be proud of my nation for doing what it must to progress in defence field, instead of staying in the same quagmire.
I think its time india also takes a leaf out of China's book. We should get ToT whenever we can, but if we can't get ToT, like with US products, we should not shy away from reverse engineering.
All is fair in love and war. And defence is both. It is matter of love for the country, and deterrence of war.