Acquisition

Barclays PLC
11 October 2006


                                                               11th October 2006

                                  BARCLAYS PLC

Barclays acquires 4.70% of Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited of
                                     India

Barclays Bank PLC ('Barclays') today announces that it has acquired a 4.70%
equity holding in Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited ('IDFC').
The equity stake was acquired through Barclays Capital Mauritius Limited, a
registered Foreign Institutional Investor, via secondary market purchases and is
in the nature of an investment. The total amount invested was approximately
INR3.80 billion (approximately £44.8 million).


Mr Robert Morrice, Chairman and Chief Executive, Barclays Asia-Pacific, said:
'Our stake in IDFC underlines our interest in the fast growing infrastructure
sector in India and allows us to participate through an investment in the
largest infrastructure finance company in India. We believe India presents us
with tremendous opportunities and this investment further evidences our desire
to be part of the India growth story.'


Barclays has had an active presence in India for over 27 years and commenced
banking operations under a full banking licence in Mumbai during the 1990s. By
leveraging its international expertise and by working closely with Indian
corporate and financial institutions, Barclays has established a reputation as a
leading player in the onshore and cross-border debt capital and equity-linked
markets, and is a market leader in providing liability risk management
solutions. On 21st March, 2006, Barclays announced a US$150 million investment
to support its expansion in Indian investment banking, and a further US$70m for
its corporate and commercial banking business. This transaction forms part of
Barclays ongoing investment and development of its business in India.

                                    - ENDS -


For further information please contact:

Barclays

Investor Relations                             Media Relations
James S Johnson                                Alistair Smith
[phone]                            [phone]

                                               At Barclays Capital
                                               Maeve Gallagher
                                               [phone]

About Barclays

Barclays PLC is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail and
commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth management and
investment management services. We are one of the largest financial services
companies in the world by market capitalisation. Operating in over 60 countries
and employing over 118,000 people, we move, lend, invest and protect money for
over 25 million customers and clients worldwide. With over 300 years of history
and expertise in banking, Barclays has six major businesses.

UK Banking delivers banking products and services to over 14 million retail
customers and 788,000 businesses in the UK. UK Banking includes UK Retail
Banking and UK Business Banking.

Barclaycard is one of the leading credit card businesses in Europe and has 11.2
million UK customers and 5.3 million international cards in issue.

Barclays Capital, the investment banking division, provides corporate,
institutional and government clients with solutions to their financing and risk
management needs.

Barclays Global Investors is one of the world's largest asset managers and a
leading provider of investment management products and services. The total
assets under management at 30th June, 2006 were US$1.6 trillion.

Barclays Wealth serves affluent, high net worth and intermediary clients
worldwide, providing private banking, asset management, stockbroking, offshore
banking, wealth structuring and financial planning services. At 30th June, 2006,
total client assets were £84.7 billion.

Outside the UK, Barclays global retail and commercial banking operations have
over 2 million international clients, in geographies which currently include
France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, India, Africa and the Middle East. Absa has an
additional 8.0 million retail customers in South Africa.

www.barclays.com


About Barclays Capital

Barclays Capital is the investment banking division of Barclays Bank PLC. With a
distinctive business model, Barclays Capital provides large corporate,
government and institutional clients with solutions to their financing and risk
management needs. Barclays Capital has offices in 26 countries, employs over
10,500 people and has the global reach and distribution power to meet the needs
of issuers and investors worldwide.

In November 2005, Financial News magazine awarded Barclays Capital 'European
Investment Bank of the Year' in its annual Awards for Excellence. In addition,
Barclays Capital ranked No. 1 for Capital Raising in Euromoney's 2005 Capital
Raising Survey.

www.barclayscapital.com.


Disclaimer

This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 21E of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section
27A of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to certain of the
Group's plans and its current goals and expectations relating to its future
financial condition and performance. These forward-looking statements can be
identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current
facts. Forward-looking statements sometimes use words such as 'aim',
'anticipate', 'target', 'expect', 'estimate', 'intend', 'plan', 'goal',
'believe', or other words of similar meaning. Examples of forward-looking
statements include, among others, statements regarding the Group's future
financial position, income growth, impairment charges, business strategy,
projected levels of growth in the banking and financial markets, projected
costs, estimates of capital expenditures, and plans and objectives for future
operations.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because
they relate to future events and circumstances, including, but not limited to,
domestic and global economic and business conditions, market related risks such
as changes in interest rates and exchange rates, the policies and actions of
governmental and regulatory authorities, changes in legislation, the outcome of
pending and future litigation, and the impact of competition - a number of which
factors are beyond the Group's control. As a result, the Group's actual future
results may differ materially from the plans, goals, and expectations set forth
in the Group's forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements made
by or on behalf of Barclays speak only as of the date they are made. Barclays
does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect any changes
in Barclays expectations with regard thereto or any changes in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. The reader
should, however, consult any additional disclosures that Barclays has made or
may make in documents it has filed or may file with the SEC.




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