Holding in Company

Cairn Energy PLC
6 March 2001



6 March 2001


                          Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn')

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

On 5 March 2001, Cairn was notified by Legal & General Investment Management
Limited that it now holds an interest in 6,308,122 Ordinary Shares of 10p each
in Cairn, representing 4.28% 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 5 March 2001 is as follows:-

                                                              NUMBER OF
REGISTERED HOLDER                                                SHARES

HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 887711                 538,074
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 775245                 976,703
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 360509                 114,978
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 357206               4,251,650
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 747381                 145,609
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 363605                 169,108
HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd A/c 866203                 112,000
                                                              6,308,122   4.28%