The tangible is that Bangladesh is not nuclear armed.. It has an incompetent military. The Pakistan Army eastern command was any day a bigger headache than today's Kanglu Army, and we had good relations with Bangladesh until last year..and we may have again in the near future.. If Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, it would have been permanently hostile..
Yes, we could have had some land around chicken's neck etc.. Everything is fine in hindsight . But, you forget that India's foremost task was have the world recognise Bangladesh as a sovereign country. You take that as a given today..
But, even Pakistan recognised Bangladesh as a sovereign country as part of Simla aggreement...
Also, IG didn't know how much USSR would back India against hostile US/UK/China moves.. But, she still took her chances and went ahead.. So, credit to her.
I know it's hard for right wingers to credit Congress with anything..
I will for once take my political cap off and agree with some of the things you mentioned.
Positives ->
That IG made a incredibly brave decision to go to war. It probably was far tougher to go war then than it is now. With US being openly hostile to India and helping Pak, it will incredibly brave.
I saw some of IG's interviews from back then and was impressed how articulate she was making case for India going to war.
negatives ->
Everything she did once the war is over.
None of it made sense. It's as if someone blackmailed her into accepting the horrible decisions she made. They make no sense what so ever.
We never had good relations with Bangladesh. We only had good relationships with a political party's leader in Bangladesh. They are not the same.
We knew mostly majority muslim Banglas hated us, with same passion as Pakis.
Again, it's like you said, it could be hindsight on IG part to not foresee any of this at that time.
BUT,
that's how we judge actions of leaders, over time.
While IG decisions before the war were very brave, her actions after the war make no sense.
Even if some things can be attributed to hindsight, most actions are baffling and make no sense.
Some one just tell how we gave all the land we occupied back to them without getting an inch back in J&K?
Someone tell how we gave all their POW's back without getting ours?