The capture of Suvarnadurg took place when Commodore William James, an officer in the British East India Company, led a naval operation against the Maratha Empire's coastal defenses. Suvarnadurg was a strategically significant fortress located on the western coast of India, built to protect the Maratha shipping routes and trade interests within the Arabian Sea. The British aimed to weaken Maratha naval capabilities, which were encroaching upon their own trade routes and colonial aspirations. Commodore James’s fleet, consisting of several well-armed ships, approached the fortress after conducting reconnaissance of the area.

The siege displayed not only the British naval power but also the growing tactical ingenuity of their commanders. After bombarding the fort with artillery fire and engaging in skirmishes with the defenders, the British forces were able to breach the fortress walls. This marked a pivotal moment in the consolidation of British naval dominance in the region, as it allowed them to control vital shipping lanes and protect their assets from rival powers, particularly the French and the Dutch.

Following the successful capture, the British established a garrison at Suvarnadurg, which enabled them to further project their naval power across the western coast of India. The event symbolized the increasing military engagements between European powers over colonial territories and trade routes in the Indian subcontinent.