The Rise of Situationships in India

Not every connection becomes a relationship. And not every relationship has a name. That grey area—somewhere between friendship and commitment—is what many now call a “situationship.”

Globally, situationships are nothing new. But in India, where dating is still negotiating space in a traditionally marriage-oriented culture, they’re both increasing—and deeply confusing.

A situationship might look like a relationship. You text daily, meet often, share laughs, maybe even physical intimacy. But there's no clarity, no commitment. “We were everything but official,” shared a 25-year-old from Chennai. “And when I asked where this was going, he said, ‘Why rush?’”

What draws people to this dynamic is its flexibility. For many young Indians juggling careers, personal growth, or recovering from past breakups, a low-pressure connection feels safer than a defined commitment.

But the downside is emotional ambiguity. One person might secretly hope for more. The other might be content as things are. With no label, there's no road map—and no clear way to communicate needs.

In Indian society, this lack of definition can feel especially destabilizing. When friends or family ask, “So, are you two together?”, there’s no answer. And culturally, that lack of structure often leads to shame or second-guessing.

Globally, too, situationships are often criticized for wasting time or masking fear of vulnerability. But in India, they carry the added weight of expectations—especially for women, who still bear more of the social and emotional fallout.

Still, not all situationships are doomed. Some people genuinely prefer fluid relationships, especially if both partners are clear and in sync. But problems arise when clarity is absent, and emotional labor is one-sided.

The key, as always, is communication. Define what this is. Revisit it if things change. And be honest—not just with the other person, but with yourself.

Because in the end, it’s not the absence of a label that hurts—it’s the absence of truth.