Virtual has become the keyword in the post-pandemic world not only in the day to day life but also in the business world. The online dating industry is one such business which is emerging as a new-age fad and transforming fast to suit the emerging demands. 

Although the dating industry in India witnessed a steady rise ever since home-grown online dating apps were introduced roughly a decade ago, the growth post-pandemic has been phenomenal. 

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According to QuackQuack, India based dating App company, at least 41% of young daters out of around 20 million virtual daters are using the services of dating Apps to choose their dates.

With multiple dating platforms which are offering unique and customised services, people are able to explore their choices. 

The trend which started in metros is also catching up in tier 2 and tier 3 cities of India.

Ravi Mittal, CEO & Founder, QuackQuack said, “With time, there is a rise in the number of people using dating apps to find genuine friendships. Our user data shows that 60% of female users and 40% of males from tier 2 and tier 3 cities come to our platform seeking friends and romantic partners. The trend shows that male users from Kochi and Chennai are comparatively more inclined towards friendship than users from Delhi and Gurgaon.” 

“Another striking change is the inclination towards seeking sincere and long-term relationships through online dating apps compared to a mere casual approach, which was till a few years back. We also saw a significant increase in chat lengths in recent years. Approximately 21 million chats were exchanged last month, and we found that more people are seeking an exclusive partner than looking for casual dating,” he further added. 

Shalini Singh, Founder of andwemet said, “We are seeing single Individuals increasingly challenging “traditional” Indian norms- be it couples living together before marriage or men who are happy to live with their partner’s parents. We are also delighted to see families more accepting of women’s career ambitions and not as a deterrent to a happy partnership.”

She further added, “Marrying later in life is becoming common, as academics and careers take precedence in the 20s. A rise in divorce rates also contributes to couples looking to enter into a long-term relationship for the second time in later life. The good news is that Indian matchmaking is going through a healthy evolution with greater acceptance of meaningful relationships regardless of their shape or form.”

Sybil Shiddell, Country Manager India for Gleeden, said, “With technology rising high in practically every industry, virtual connections have become our daily reality and relationships have evolved greatly as a result of this.”

“Earlier, people would depend on meeting someone organically or rely on their friends and family to set them up.”

“However, today, dating scenes are extremely different. Whether this is for the good or bad entirely depends on the user and how they approach the platforms. Having said that, dating apps have definitely changed many aspects of romantic relationships and people can build connections more easily.”

She further concluded, “Looking at these trends, it is certain that dating apps are getting popular in all areas of the country and we will be able to see more users in the coming years.”