Dating trends 2026: 37 percent Indians adopt ‘sunset clause’

The year 2026 is going to be the year daters stop wondering where things are going and start making purposedriven romantic decisionsAccording to a recent survey by Indian dating app QuackQuack 37 per cent of daters from metros and suburbs are adopting the sunset clause in their dating life to ensure that their romantic pursuit does not aimlessly go on for agesThey want their dating app usage to be timebound bringing in a significant shift to a highly selfaware dating style This new year daters are protecting their time energy and emotional bandwidth over everything elseThe apps founder and CEO Ravi Mittal said We are seeing users becoming more intentional in their choices it started from 2024 but we are hoping for it to peak this yearThe young daters have come a long way they are doing regular checkins to see if a match is just not going anywhere and changing things up based on deep introspection they are looking for compatibility that isnt just values and hobbiesCareer has become a significant factor in their compatibilityWe are really glad to see the young daters take online dating from a casual fling spot to a platform for conscious and calculated datingThe survey was done among 7583 active users from Tier 1 2 and 3 cities between the ages of 22 and 35Participants were selected from different professional and educational backgrounds for a comprehensive study of the upcoming trendsThe sunset clauseNo more endless scrollingDaters from Tier 1 2 and 3 cities shared that they are setting a clear timeline for their dating app usage the most common being 6 months and 1 year with some going for the until I meet the right oneThe sunset clause is trending in 2026 because dating is no longer just a background activity Singles from across the country are looking for more outcomebased app usage instead of doom scrolling every dayMindful exit plans are leading to faster and more meaningful matches reported almost 28 per cent of the survey participantsAnjali 27 from Pune said This year I have decided to try out online dating for six months I think it will give me a sense of purpose and the deadline would be good for someone like me who doom scrolls even on dating appsMatching ambitionsLove matters but so do lifestyle and career choices Over 41 per cent of daters in 2026 prioritise career rhythm ambition matching and worklife balance while looking for a partnerVihaan a 28 year old CA said Career matching isnt about finding a partner in the same field rather it is about the same career goals pace and priorities Say I am starting a business Id want a partner who understands the unpredictability that comes with itIn my case I really want someone who understands how hectic my work can get with long hours and working overtime These things can eventually create issues in relationshipsRetro compatibilityMillennials above 30 years of age are looking for their future in the past3 in 5 millennial daters from Tier 1 and 2 cities are seen matching based on shared nostalgia 90s and early 2000s music pop culture movies similar childhood rituals and having lived through almost similar phases of life growing upAnkita 32 from Delhi joked I bonded with a match over discussions on presocial media dating while chatting on a dating app Also it felt great that he got all my references without having to look them upConnection reviewsAccording to 18 per cent of women and 11 per cent of men between 25 and 35 years of age revealed that they borrowed a workplace habit and turned it into a dating practice intentional checkins on ongoing matches every few weeksThey check for communication gaps connection rut expectation vs reality and emotional satisfaction Ashish 29 working in Bengaluru said Its better than dragging a dead connection or silently wondering if things are going to go the way I want them to beI do an internal review in my mind and I have even looped in my matches sometimes asking them what they feel about the connection Trust me it has saved me a lot of time and energy on the wrong people