Holding(s) in Company

Cairn Energy PLC
29 April 2005


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

29 April 2005

Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn')

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

On 28 April 2005, Cairn was notified by Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., on behalf of
itself and certain holding companies of  Merrill Lynch Investment Managers
Limited and of certain other companies, that they had an aggregate interest in 
21,761,716 ordinary shares of 10 pence each in Cairn, representing approximately
13.65% of Cairn's current issued  ordinary share capital.

The registered holders to which this notification related and the number of
shares held by those registered holders as  at 26 April 2005 (if known) were as
follows:-

REGISTERED HOLDER                       NUMBER OF SHARES   NATURE OF INTEREST
(IF KNOWN)

Nutraco Nominees Limited (Des & Undes)        12,104,907   Non-beneficial
Merrill Lynch Pension Nominees Limited
A/C Noncert                                    1,283,314   Beneficial
Stamford Nominees Limited A/C Charty              17,908   Non-beneficial
Stamford Nominees Limited (Undes)                  1,000   Non-beneficial
Possfund Nominees Limited                        929,835   Non-beneficial
Britel Nominees Limited                        1,130,147   Non-beneficial
Treasury of the Government of the Isle
of Man Nominees A/C 5                            213,000   Non-beneficial
Treasury of the Government of the Isle
of Man Nominees A/C 10                           101,300   Non-beneficial
Other Names                                    5,980,305   Non-beneficial

                                              21,761,716   13.65%





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