Holding(s) in Company

Cairn Energy PLC
15 August 2005



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                  15 August 2005


                           Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn')

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


On 15 August 2005, Cairn was notified by Aviva plc on behalf of it and its
subsidiary Morley Fund Management Limited that, having sold a total of 218,777
shares on 12 August 2005, the Aviva group no longer 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 15 August 2005 is as follows:-

REGISTERED HOLDER                                        NUMBER OF           %
                                                            SHARES

BNY Norwich Union Nominees Ltd                           1,884,794
Chase GA Group Nominees Ltd                              1,302,491
Chase Nominees Ltd                                         250,370
CUIM Nominee Ltd                                         1,325,835
                                                         4,763,490        2.98



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