You guys will be better off scrapping this failed project altogether. At least you'll have some honour.
In Suparco City it might be about honour, but in India it's about:
- setting up an own aero industry (check, but will be fully ready only with the start of the licence production)
- developing a modern light class fighter (check, even if it didn't met the goals, it is one of the lightest in it's class, with modern design, materials, coatings, techs and capabilities)
- that is cost-effective and reliable (check, possibly more expensive than planned, but still far cheaper than anything we procure from foreign countries and most likely the cheapest fighter to operate in IAFs future fleet)
- that is not dependent on foreign spare supply (check, most parts are either developed in India, or procured under licence production deals and the aim is to replace more and more foreign parts, like it was done with Dhruv over the years)
LCA as a program is definitely not a failure, because Indian industry gained a lot wrt 4th and 4.5th gen R&D, even if some core projects like the engine development might have failed. The main problem of the project was the overestimations in the project management and plannings, which caused the main part of the delays and not that the fighter itself is bad or not capable. Infact, by choosing foreign techs like radar or engine, LCA is technically even more capable than it might have been with Indian counterparts. The EL 2032 and the GE 414 are not only proven and reliable, but also highly capable, although they will remain medicore only in IAF, just like the LCA will only be a medicore fighter from operational point of views in Indian forces, but it was never meant to be the best, only to have a good baseline standard in design, materials, coatings or techs.
If we can solve the remaining issues and induct it into operational service, it still will be one of South Asias most capable interceptors!