Holding(s) in Company

Cairn Energy PLC
29 February 2008



TR-1(i): notification of major interests in shares


1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer         Cairn Energy Plc
of existing shares to which voting rights are            --------------------
attached(1):
-------------------------------
2. Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):
--------------------------------------------                             -------
An acquisition or disposal of voting rights                                   X
--------------------------------------------                             -------
An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may result in      
the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are      -------
attached
--------------------------------------------
An event changing the breakdown of voting rights                             
--------------------------------------------                             -------
3. Full name of person(s) subject to the                  HSBC Holdings Plc
notification obligation(1):                              --------------------
-------------------------------
4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from  HSBC Bank plc
3.)(1):
                                                   HSBC Investments (UK) Limited
                                                   Sinopia Asset Management (UK)
                                                   Limited
                                                   Halbis Capital Management (UK)
                                                   Limited
                                                   Halbis Capital Management (Hong
                                                   Kong) Limited
                                                   HSBC Investments (Singapore)
                   ------------------------------- Limited
                                                   --------------------
5. Date of the transaction and date on which the          26th February 2008
threshold is crossed or reached(1):                      --------------------
-------------------------------
6. Date on which issuer notified:                         28th February 2008
-------------------------------                          --------------------
7. Threshold(s) that is/are
crossed or reached:                                                       14%
-------------------------------                          --------------------




8. Notified details:

A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class/type   Situation previous to the   Resulting situation after the triggering transaction(1)
of shares    Triggering transaction (1)
if possible
using the    Number of     Number of     Number of    Number of voting rights ix % of voting
ISIN CODE    Shares        Voting Rights shares                                  rights
                           viii          Direct       Direct x     Indirect xi   Direct  Indirect

GB00B1RZDL64  12,077,579    12,077,579    6,825,536    6,825,536    12,573,721    5.21%    9.61%

B: Financial Instruments
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction xii
Type of     Expiration Exercise/       Number of voting rights that may  % of
financial   date xiii  Conversion      be acquired if the instrument is  voting
instrument             Period/ Date    exercised/ converted.             rights
                       xiv


Total (A+B)
Number of voting rights                      % of voting rights

     19,399,257                               14.83%





9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the
financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable xv:
HSBC Bank plc
HSBC Investments (UK) Limited
Sinopia Asset Management (UK) Limited
Halbis Capital Management (UK) Limited
Halbis Capital Management (Hong Kong) Limited
HSBC Investments (Singapore) Limited

Proxy Voting:
10. Name of the proxy holder:                                              N/A
11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:               N/A
12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:           N/A

13. Additional information:                           None
14. Contact name:                                     Frances Davies
15. Contact telephone number:                         020 7991 6661



Annex to Notification Of Major Interests In Shares xvi

Notes to the Forms
--------------------------

(i) This form is to be sent to the issuer or underlying issuer and to be filed
with the competent authority.



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