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Surgical decisions or just too many options? India's dating mood doesn't mind the slow burn romance
Romance is no longer a match made in heaven. Across screens, it's all about being slow, smart and keeping things equal
It doesn't take a genius to clock the extremities at which love is manifesting in the contemporary Indian psyche. Stereotypes and mores have gone out the window. Today, it is as normal to see a 24-year-old tie the knot as it is to see a 40-year-old be happily single. And they're both valid life choices.
But what can we really gauge from this scale at hand? With Valentine’s Day here, Shaadi.com has released its Shaadi Trending Report – Valentine’s 2026 Edition, offering a closer look at how India’s approach to dating and matchmaking is changing. And the one takeaway that emerges from it? People are no longer rushing into decisions. Instead, they are slowing down, asking better questions, and prioritising genuine compatibility over urgency.
Intentional engagement hike
As per stats gathered from their own platform, women now engage with an average of 25 profiles, up from 16 in 2020, which marks a steep 56% jump. Men show a similar pattern, moving from 8 to 14 profiles, which comes up to about a 42% increase. Monthly time spent on the app has also increased from 14 to 22 hours, suggesting that users are being more thoughtful and selective rather than settling out of exhaustion.
Age isn't just a number
The evolvement in age preferences also reflects an interesting shift with a preference towards same-age matchmaking over typically sought-for age gaps. Today, 76% of men and 58% of women prefer partners closer to their own age, and even parent-managed female profiles show a noticeable shift in the same direction. What this essentially indicates is that equality and shared life stages are becoming more important in long-term decisions.
Women first
Another standout trend is the rise in women making the first move. Female-led initiation has grown from just 7% in 2020 to 21% in 2025. Additionally, more than half of these first moves coming from tier-2 cities. What this points to, is growing confidence and changing social dynamics well beyond metro centres.
Love would rather not cross mountains
Geography and lifestyle continue to shape matches. Fast-growing urban hubs, particularly in the South of the country, are seeing strong momentum. Users are also increasingly prioritising dietary habits, location, income compatibility and even shared professions over a baseline marker of higher qualifications. Basically, real-time practical alignment, literally and in aspiration, is much more important that on-paper data.
Dedicated scroll time
Timing and proximity also play a role. Peak activity falls between 8PM and 9 PM while Sundays outperform Saturdays in terms of app tractions. Additionally, there is also a clear preference for nearby matches which are significantly more likely to turn into real-world meetings within 30 days.
Long story short? India is fixing their romantic microscopes on genuine holistic compatibility.
