that comment wouuld've been valid if our horse was also a top breed enjoying all the perks and no expenses spared.
JF17 is not your yardstick. compare Tejas with Western or Russian jets build quality matching same access to technology and funding.
JF 17 is a gift from Chinese to Pakistan...
Why I am saying?
They build the aircraft for you. Yes, Pakistan engineers also was involved and got the experience but without Chinese was never possible... They were having the all infrastructure to build a low cast aircraft for PAF... For their own, they had much better j10 aircraft...
Case of HAL Tejas is different, With no experience to design and build a aircraft.. India started the project.... Yes, expected from from other vendors and depended on the parts from other countries.. Because these are not easy to make - example engine, injection seat also imported for jf 17.
Now coming to present time...
Can Pakistan design and build a aircraft in-house? Peope talk about even 5th gen aircraft but till now, I have not seen a single aircraft was designed by Pakistan.... Does Pakistan have r&d infrastructure to build and design?
Really sorry, presently only I can see OEM manufacturing job..... India is also doing from past many years.
But, HAL Tejas helped to build and develop the infrastructure in India... Yes. It is late but looking forward - jf17 block 3 coming in 2022, Hal Tejas mk1a in 2024..... So not bad at all..
Also, it has opned gate for upcoming new aircrafts....
I always take example of indian ship building - you need to start from scratch and somewhere... Then only the gate will open for you.... During the development process including the failure in the some departments..HAL Tejas is helped to build a aerospace infrastructure in India.. It will good for future..