HJT 36 is all set to come back. this is my favorite plane as it will be fully Indigenous. HAL made 25 kn engine can be fitted into it so as desi radar and other Desi systems. Actually. this would have come early. Had we operationalize this one prior to Tejas, Development of Tejas would have been much easier.
https://idrw.org/hals-hjt-36-sitara-set-for-a-comeback/#more-181915
The problem is it came too late.
With HTT we can replace PT-7, but we can't replace Hawk with Sitara.
Moreover, HaL has put enough Hawk-i and I don't see a justification for Sitara.
The first flight is going to happen by the end of the year, let's give 2-3 yrs for testing.
Short answer is, Sitara's fate was doomed when it failed spin tests... No matter how hard we try, It is not good enough to replace Hawk nor compete Hawk-i.