Vishakhapatnam, formerly known as Vizag, and the surrounding areas on Circar coast, along the eastern coast of present-day Andhra Pradesh belonged to the Dutch, who were among the first Europeans to make their presence felt in India.

A sleepy fishing town with little or no infrastructure till the early 1920s, Vizag was developed by the British and opened to sea-going vessels in 1933. Since then it has been a medium- sized port, catering to the requirements of the Deccan Plateau and the eastern parts of the country. Known as Waltair under British rule, Vizag was also seen to be of strategic importance by the military who set up base here. The military still has bases here.