Transaction in Own Shares

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 20 December 2013

CAIRN ENERGY PLC ("Cairn" or "the Company")

Transaction in Own Shares

Cairn announces that on 20 December 2013, it has purchased 165,000 shares of 231/169 pence each ("Ordinary Shares") in the Company for cancellation. The average price paid by the Company was £2.6384 per Ordinary Share. The highest and lowest prices paid for these shares were £2.6720 and £2.5895 respectively.

The total number of voting rights in Cairn, as at the date of this announcement, is 595,122,475. This figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.