Holding(s) in Company

Cairn Energy PLC
29 March 2004



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                                   29 March 2004

                           CAIRN ENERGY PLC ('Cairn')

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

Cairn was notified on 29 March 2004 by M&G Investment Management Limited (for
and on behalf of Prudential plc) that Prudential plc and certain of its
subsidiaries have in aggregate an interest in 4,673,956 ordinary shares of 10
pence each in Cairn, representing 3.10% of Cairn's current issued ordinary share
capital.

The registered shareholders to which this notification relates and the number of
shares held by the registered holders at the date of notification is as follows:


REGISTERED HOLDER                                        NUMBER OF          %
                                                          SHARES

MGIM A/C JPM A/C RU                                      2,639,700
PRUCLT HSBC GIS NOM(UK) PAC AC                           2,001,256
PRUCLT HSBC GIS NOM(UK) PPL AC                              33,000
                                                         4,673,956        3.10




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