India Ranks Lowest in Partner Satisfaction, Among Bottom Three on Love Life Satisfaction Index: Ipsos Global Survey 2026
Ipsos Valentine’s Day survey titled Love Life Satisfaction Survey 2026, conducted in 29 markets shows India has ranked lowest on partner satisfaction and ranks poorly on Love Life Satisfaction Index. The findings highlight a notable gap between relationship expectations and lived experiences among Indian respondents.
The Love Life Satisfaction Index* brings together how people feel about love, romance and relationships in a single indicator.
It brings together how satisfied people are with the love in their life, their sex lives and their relationship with their partner.
Thailand leads the 2026 Ipsos Love Life Satisfaction Index, ranking highest among the 29 markets surveyed. Thai respondents report the greatest levels of satisfaction not only with their spouse or partner, but also with their overall romantic and sex lives. This year, markets across Asia, Latin America and parts of Europe dominate the top tier of the Index, suggesting stronger perceptions of relationship fulfilment across these regions.
At the other end of the spectrum, Japan, South Korea and India record the lowest overall levels of love life satisfaction. Notably, Italy and France — countries often associated globally with romance — also appear among the bottom ten markets in 2026, underscoring that cultural stereotypes do not always align with lived experience.
Elucidating on the findings of the survey, Suresh Ramalingam, CEO, Ipsos India, stated, “India’s lower ranking presents a striking contrast to its longstanding cultural association with romance and intimacy, often symbolised by the Kamasutra. However, love life satisfaction is shaped as much by contemporary realities as by cultural legacy. Social structures, evolving relationship norms and the demands of modern life may all play a role. Multi-generational family responsibilities, shifting expectations within marriages, and the pressures of balancing work and household commitments can influence how individuals assess their personal and romantic fulfilment. Importantly, two in three Indians report being satisfied with their love life. The ranking is relative across markets and should be interpreted in context, rather than as an absolute measure of dissatisfaction.”
The findings reinforce that relationship satisfaction is shaped not only by cultural narratives, but by the broader social and economic context in which people live. As societies evolve, so do expectations around partnership, emotional connection and shared responsibilities, all of which influence how individuals evaluate their love lives.
This contrast highlights the importance of relative benchmarking in global studies. Satisfaction levels in India are not insignificant in absolute terms; however, compared to higher-reported emotional fulfilment in other markets, India’s standing reflects comparatively more tempered perceptions. The findings point to the growing complexity of modern relationships, where emotional closeness, practical partnership, and everyday pressures intersect in shaping how love is experienced and assessed.
A relative gap also emerges when looking at the emotional dimension of relationships. On the measure of feeling loved, India ranks among the bottom three of the 29 markets surveyed. This suggests that beyond relationship status or stability, perceived emotional reciprocity remains an area where Indian respondents report comparatively lower affirmation.
When it comes to satisfaction with their romantic and sex lives, however, India performs more strongly, ranking 8th overall. The top tier in this dimension is largely led by Thailand and Indonesia, followed by markets such as Mexico, Spain, Malaysia, Colombia, Peru, India and Argentina. This contrast indicates that while emotional validation may be comparatively lower, aspects related to romance and intimacy are evaluated more positively.
Taken together, the findings highlight the multi-dimensional nature of love life satisfaction, where emotional fulfilment, romantic expression and physical intimacy do not always move in tandem, and where relative positioning across markets provides important global context.
Can money buy love life happiness
Overall, across 29 markets, people in high-income households were more likely to feel loved and be happier with their romantic/ sex lives. High-income people (82% on average across 29 countries) are 10 percentage points more likely than low-income people (72%) to say they’re satisfied with the love in their life. And there’s a 14-point gap when it comes to one’s romantic/sex life, with 68% of high-income people saying they’re satisfied versus 52% of low-income people.
Technical note: For this survey, Ipsos interviewed a total of 23,268 adults aged 18 years and older in India, 18-74 in Canada, Republic of Ireland, Malaysia, South Africa, Türkiye, and the United States, 20-74 in Thailand, 21-74 in Indonesia and Singapore, and 16-74 in all other countries. The sample consists of approximately 2,000 individuals in Japan, 1,000 individuals each in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S., and 500 individuals each in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, and Türkiye. The sample in India consists of approximately 2,200 individuals, of whom approximately 1,800 were interviewed face-to-face and 400 were interviewed online.
