Holding(s) in Company

Cairn Energy PLC
23 November 2005



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                23 November 2005

                           Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn')

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

On 22 November 2005, Cairn was notified by Aviva plc on behalf of it and its
subsidiaries that, having acquired a total of 217,000 shares on 21 November
2005, the Aviva group has a notifiable interest in 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 22 November 2005 is as follows:-

REGISTERED HOLDER                                         NUMBER OF         %
                                                           SHARES

BNY Norwich Union Nominees Ltd                           1,990,566
Chase GA Group Nominees Ltd                              2,870,407
Chase Nominees Ltd                                         282,890
CUIM Nominee Ltd                                         1,378,211
                                                         6,522,074        4.08





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