This is coming for a totally non-technical person.
If India did not have experience in building a jet fighter ground up, why did it need to re-invent the wheel? It could have bought off the shelf technologies from Russia and France.
I dont understand what knowledge will India get from LCA project which is not already there.
Compared to this effort, JF-17 project model was more feasible.
Here you go.. we have been doing this for more than half a century..
Source --- wiki.
Harlow PC-5 first aircraft assembled by HAL
Percival Prentice 66 built by HAL
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 FL, M, Bis and Bison upgrades variants
Folland Gnat
HAL Ajeet improved version of the Folland Gnat
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27 M variant
SEPECAT Jaguar IS, IB and IM variants
BAE Hawk scheduled production run of 42 aircraft
Sukhoi Su-30 MKI variant
Dornier Do 228 Also providing equipment for production of the upgraded Do 228 NG variant
Aerospatiale SA 315B Lama HAL Cheetah, Lancer, Cheetal Variants
Aerospatiale SA 316B Alouette III HAL Chetak, Chetan Variants
HAL HS 748 Avro Modified for military usage, includes Series 2M variant with large freight door.
Watch a baby, it will crwal, try to walk, fall down often.. but it is a learning process. it has have to go thru it to learn to walk and in future run...
you can not always rely on other..