Transaction in Own Shares

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 23 October 2013

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

Transaction in Own Shares

Cairn announces that on 23 October 2013, it has purchased 188,704 shares of 231/169 pence each ("Ordinary Shares") in the Company for cancellation. The average price paid by the Company was £2.8153 per Ordinary Share. The highest and lowest prices paid for these shares were £2.8400 and £2.8060 respectively.

The total number of voting rights in Cairn, as at the date of this announcement, is 602,974,495. 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.