THE UNLABELLED HEART

From college students to young professionals, the traditional notion of a couple is giving way to a label-free relationship shaped by rising costs, shifting ambitions, and the swipe-era dating culture. Here’s why Delhi's youth are choosing situationships this Valentine’s Day.

- S KEERTHIVAS

A t a coffee shop in Hauz Khas Village, 22-year-old Ananya scrolls through her phone while Rohan sips his cold brew across the table.

They’ve been seeing each other for eight months, weekend brunches, latenight drives around Lodhi Road, the occasional movie. But ask if they’re ‘together’, and both hesitate. “We're... figuring it out,” Ananya says with a shrug. “Why rush a label when rent is 18,000 and my internship ends in June?”

As Valentine’s Day approaches, Delhi’s young adults are increasingly opting for situationships—casual, label-free connections that offer intimacy without the weight of commitment. In a city where a one-bedroom apartment in Saket costs more than many entry-level salaries, and dating apps give you endless options with a swipe, traditional romance is finding itself taking the backseat.