Holding(s) in Company

Cairn Energy PLC
12 August 2004


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                                  12 August 2004

                           Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn')

   Notification of Shareholding - Companies Act 1985 ss.198-202 (as amended)

On 11 August 2004, Cairn was notified by Fidelity International Limited and its
direct and indirect subsidiaries, being non-beneficial holders, that they had an
interest in 16,835,801 ordinary shares of 10 pence each in Cairn, representing
10.59% of Cairn's current issued ordinary share capital.

The registered holders to which this notification relates and the number of
shares held by those registered holders as at 11 August 2004 is as follows:-

REGISTERED HOLDER                                         NUMBER OF           %
                                                          SHARES

Chase Nominees Limited                                    7,088,754
Chase Manhattan Bank London                                 146,470
Mellon Nominees Limited                                     110,600
Chase Nominees Limited                                      450,460
Northern Trust                                              129,106
Chase Nominees Limited                                    1,033,865
HSBC Client Holdings Nominee (UK) Limited                 5,246,303
Chase Manhattan Bank London                                 341,396
Bank of New York London                                   1,475,642
Deutsche                                                     21,200
Northern Trust                                              447,608
State Street Nominees Limited                               175,800
Bank of New York Brussels                                    51,893
State Street Bank & Trust                                    48,920
Mellon Bank                                                  67,784
                                                         16,835,801      10.59%

The notifiable interests also comprise the notifiable interest of Mr Edward C.
Johnson 3rd, principal shareholder of Fidelity International Limited.



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