The correct answer is: b) A princely state with internal autonomy.
Sikkim was a princely state in India during the British Raj. It was a semi-independent state with its own ruler, the Chogyal, who was responsible for internal affairs. However, the British had control over Sikkim’s external affairs, including its defense and foreign policy.
Sikkim was never a directly ruled colony of the British. It was a treaty state, which meant that it had entered into a treaty with the British government. The treaty gave the British certain rights in Sikkim, but it also recognized the Chogyal’s authority over the state.
Sikkim was not a territory under Tibetan suzerainty. Tibet was a neighboring country, but it did not have any control over Sikkim. The Chogyal was the sole ruler of Sikkim, and he was not subject to any foreign power.
Sikkim was not a fully independent kingdom. It was a princely state with internal autonomy, but it was not a fully independent country. The British had control over Sikkim’s external affairs, and the Chogyal was not the sole ruler of the state.