The Indian Navy is mulling the acquisition of nine amphibious aircraft to keep an aerial tab on the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands off the Bay of Bengal, a senior official said. "The process has started and the Indian defence minister has already issued a global Request for Information. The Navy would use the aircraft, which can take off and land on both land and water, for maritime surveillance on the islands," he said pleading anonymity, a Chinese news agency reported. Indian Navy has been acquiring sophisticated surveillance equipment particularly following Mumbai terror attacks in Nov. 2008, which officials said had exposed loopholes in the country's maritime surveillance.