<p>On one hand, finding a partner is getting tougher. On the other, married couples are facing endless problems, with stories of spousal murders becoming common. But what if we told you that by 2047, the entire system of marriage might end in India?</p><img>Author Sandeep Das, in an interview with Raj Shamani, made a startling claim. He predicts that the institution of marriage in India will soon fade away. Das, who is the Founder & Managing Director of ‘Building Leaders for Tomorrow’, says that while 95% of Indian adults are married today, this number could plummet to just 10-15% in the future. He believes India is heading down the same path as America and China.<img>Let’s look at America and China. A 2019 Morgan Stanley study predicted that by 2030, 45% of American women will be single. In China, the marriage market has crashed, with marriage rates hitting their lowest since 1980. The country sees 2.8 million divorces every year, forcing the government to introduce a 12 to 18-month ‘cooling-off period’ for couples. Plus, there’s no concept of alimony beyond returning what one brought into the marriage.<img>So, what’s causing this shift? Experts point to five main reasons: a desire for independence, a rejection of patriarchy, the influence of AI and social media, and widespread delusion. We are already seeing a trend where successful and beautiful women over 30 are choosing to remain single, making it a conscious life decision.<img>The numbers back this up. A 2023 YouGov survey found that 40% of urban Indians feel marriage is not important in their lives. An IndiaLends survey showed 67% of young people prioritise financial stability, saying marriage can wait. To deal with the constant ‘When are you getting married?’ questions, a business that started in Japan—’Rent a Boyfriend’—has now popped up in cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru!<img>Indian society often struggles to accept high-earning women. While men typically seek beauty and peace, women look for resources and security. A woman who earns well will often seek a partner who earns even more. However, a man earning ₹60-70 lakh might not care about her salary; he might prioritise looks and compatibility. This creates a difficult situation where successful women don’t want to ‘marry down’ but aren’t chosen by those ‘above’, leaving them single.<img>Actress Kangana Ranaut once said on a podcast, ‘A relationship where the woman is more powerful and wealthy doesn’t last long.’ There’s also a trend of unrealistic expectations. A girl earning ₹20,000 a month might still demand a 6-foot-tall partner with a ₹1 crore package. Today’s generation often enters relationships with negativity, expecting cheating or control. Instead of trying to save a relationship, they start by looking for flaws, adding to the crisis facing the institution of marriage in India.
