Explanations:The British East India Company employed several strategies to expand its control over Indian territories during the 19th century. These strategies included the Doctrine of Lapse, the Subsidiary Alliance, and direct military action. Each of these methods was used in different contexts and for different purposes.
The Doctrine of Lapse was a policy introduced by Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856. According to this policy, if a ruler of a princely state died without a male heir, the British would annex the state rather than allowing it to be inherited by a collateral heir. This policy was used to annex several states, including Satara, Jhansi, and Nagpur. However, it was not applicable to Punjab, as the Sikh Empire was not a princely state in the traditional sense and had a different political structure.
The Subsidiary Alliance was a strategy used by the British to gain control over Indian states by stationing British troops in them. In exchange for protection, the states would pay for the maintenance of these troops. This strategy was used to gain control over several states, including Hyderabad, Mysore, and the Maratha states. However, it was not used in the case of Punjab, as the Sikh Empire was a formidable military power and did not agree to such an alliance.
The annexation of Punjab was achieved through military action. The Sikh Empire, under the leadership of Ranjit Singh, had been a significant power in North India. After Ranjit Singh's death, the Sikh Empire faced internal strife and political instability. The British saw this as an opportunity to expand their control. The Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-1849) was the final conflict between the British and the Sikh Empire. The British emerged victorious, and Punjab was annexed to the British Empire. This annexation marked a significant expansion of British control in North India and was a crucial step in consolidating their rule over the subcontinent.
Therefore, the correct method that Dalhousie adopted to annex Punjab was through war, specifically the Second Anglo-Sikh War. This military action was a direct and decisive method used by the British to achieve their expansionist goals in the region.