Dating apps are going offline. Do Indian singles actually want it?
Indian singles are increasingly showing a preference for curated, offline dating experiences over traditional app-based swiping. Surveys indicate that users find app conversations superficial and are more likely to take connections seriously when they meet in structured, interest-based settings.
Why it matters
This shift suggests a changing market dynamic where dating platforms must pivot toward community-building and real-world events to maintain user engagement.
Dating apps spent the better part of the last decade convincing us that romance could be outsourced to an algorithm. Swipe right, answer three prompts, upload a photograph in which you look approximately 17% more interesting than you do in real life, and wait for technology to find you a person.
The League launched in India in November 2025 and has made curated real-world experiences part of its dating proposition. Bumble partnered with Puma for a singles run in Bengaluru on November 12, 2024, followed by a Mumbai edition on February 15, 2025. Tinder hosted a pickleball mixer in Delhi on February 9, 2025. These are not just dating events in the traditional sense; they are attempts to give singles something to do while they meet each other.
The League India singles event | Photo Credit: Instagram/Parth Taco
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