Tinder’s Year in Swipe 2025: Dating Sunday drives surge as Indian singles embrace clearer, honest connections

As the new year begins, Indian singles are turning to Dating Sunday, the first Sunday of the year and consistently the busiest day on Tinder, as a moment of collective reset. According to new insights from Tinder, the day marks a clear shift towards dating that feels simpler, more open, and emotionally straightforward.

Data from Tinder’s Year in Swipe 2025 shows that Dating Sunday in India saw a sharp spike in activity, with users logging in more readily, responding faster, and engaging with renewed optimism. The platform recorded around 380 matches every second on the day, underlining its position as the most active period for new connections.

What stood out was not just the volume of interactions, but the speed. Compared to the previous year, Indian users replied over two hours faster on average, signalling a growing comfort with direct communication and staying present in conversations. Engagement levels were nearly 13 percent higher than the yearly average, while messages sent rose by almost 10 percent. Likes and conversations also saw notable increases, pointing to a more proactive approach to dating.

Dating Sunday also kicks off Tinder’s Peak Season, which runs through to Valentine’s Day. During this period, users in India send millions more messages and likes each day compared to the rest of the year, showing that the momentum created by Dating Sunday continues well beyond a single date on the calendar.

The trends reflect a broader cultural shift. Indian singles are increasingly moving away from mixed signals and emotional guesswork, favouring clarity, honesty, and shared interests. Popular profile themes in 2025 included nostalgia-driven and cultural touchpoints such as 90s Kids, Photography, Travel, Biryani, Foodie, Poetry, Harry Potter, Movies, and Music. These familiar interests are helping conversations start more naturally and feel more personal.

Food remains one of the most effective icebreakers, with casual plans like coffee or discussing favourite biryani spots shaping low-pressure first meetings. This aligns with a growing preference for dates that feel relaxed rather than performative.