Snehashish roy
A new global survey has revealed an interesting paradox about modern relationships in India. While Indians rank among the top countries globally for romance and intimacy, they score significantly lower when it comes to satisfaction with their partners and overall love life, highlighting a gap between emotional fulfilment and romantic expression.
The findings come from the Ipsos Love Life Satisfaction Index 2026, a global survey conducted across 29 markets. The study measures three key aspects of relationships: satisfaction with love life overall, satisfaction with one’s partner or spouse, and satisfaction with romantic and sexual experiences. The results suggest that although Indians often describe their relationships as loving, many still feel emotionally unfulfilled compared to respondents in other countries.
According to the survey, India ranks among the lowest globally in partner satisfaction and overall love life satisfaction. Despite this, a majority of respondents reported positive emotional bonds, with two in three Indians saying their relationship with their partner is loving. However, the survey found a noticeable gap between perceiving a relationship as loving and actually feeling emotionally supported or valued within it.
Researchers described this as a key paradox: romantic gestures and physical intimacy may be present, but emotional affirmation or fulfilment might still be lacking. Ipsos India CEO Suresh Ramalingam noted that the findings should be interpreted in context, explaining that although India ranks lower compared to other markets, many respondents still expressed satisfaction with their love lives overall.
Interestingly, India performs much better when it comes to romance and sex life satisfaction. The country ranks eighth globally in this category, outperforming several Western nations traditionally associated with romantic culture. This suggests that romance and intimacy do not necessarily translate into deeper emotional satisfaction within relationships, pointing towards evolving expectations about love and partnership.
Experts suggest several factors that may contribute to this gap. Social and cultural dynamics in India are changing rapidly, with rising work pressures, shifting gender roles, dual-income households and evolving expectations from modern relationships influencing how individuals experience emotional connection. Traditional family structures and responsibilities may also leave limited space for emotional expression, even when affection exists.
The survey further highlights how financial stability can affect relationship satisfaction. Across markets, higher-income respondents reported greater satisfaction with their love lives compared to lower-income groups, suggesting that economic pressures may indirectly influence relationship dynamics by adding stress to daily life.
Globally, countries such as Thailand topped the Love Life Satisfaction Index, with high scores across emotional, romantic and physical dimensions. Meanwhile, India joined nations like Japan and South Korea near the lower end of the ranking, challenging cultural stereotypes that equate romantic traditions with modern relationship satisfaction.
Ultimately, the findings highlight that love and satisfaction are multi-dimensional experiences. While romance and intimacy remain strong in India, emotional validation and perceived reciprocity within relationships may be evolving differently, reflecting broader societal shifts and changing expectations in contemporary partnerships.
