A simple social media post carrying the phrase “Tedha hai par mera hai” meaning it may be imperfect but it belongs to me has unexpectedly triggered a wide debate across India. The viral comparison focused on incidents involving the Indian Tejas aircraft and the American F16 fighter jets. Soon after the post spread online, conversations intensified around fairness, perception and how people judge domestic defence projects compared to foreign systems.
For many supporters of India’s indigenous defence efforts, the phrase became symbolic. They argued that whenever a foreign aircraft faces an accident or technical issue, criticism rarely targets the manufacturer strongly. But when something similar happens with an Indian platform like Tejas, questions about reliability and capability immediately begin to trend. According to them, this reflects a mindset where local achievements are sometimes judged more harshly than imported technologies.
Two F-16 crashes in Turkey & South Korea in the last 24 hours. The former was fatal as the pilot couldn’t eject.
— Hukum ???????? (@hukum2082) February 25, 2026
Not one American , Turkish or Korean account asking Lockheed Martin to shutdown.
Two TEJAS crashes in the last two years and some people want HAL to be sent to the… pic.twitter.com/6JOH5ygXVz
Supporters also pointed out that aerospace engineering is highly complex and no aircraft programme in the world is completely free from incidents. Over decades, even globally respected fighter jets have faced crashes and technical challenges. They believe that such events should be analysed technically instead of turning into emotional criticism. For them, Tejas represents years of research, engineering effort and national investment, and deserves balanced evaluation.
However, others online suggested that pride should not stop constructive criticism. They said that transparency and accountability are equally important in defence projects. Instead of blind defence or harsh attack, many called for technical clarity and informed discussion. The debate shows how deeply people connect emotions with national projects, especially in areas like defence where identity and capability both matter.
The recent conversation has once again brought focus on India’s push for defence self reliance. Officials have clarified that certain reported incidents were minor and handled professionally. At the end of the day, this viral phrase is no longer just a slogan. It has become a reflection of how citizens view progress, setbacks and the balance between patriotism and realism in national development.
