Kanchipuram, a town in Tamil Nadu, has remarkably surged to claim the top spot for extra-marital affairs across India, surpassing major urban centers like Delhi and Mumbai, according to new user data for June 2025 released by Ashley Madison, the global dating platform primarily marketed for individuals seeking extra-marital relationships.
The platform's latest figures reveal Kanchipuram's significant leap from 17th place in 2024 to the number one position in just one year. While Ashley Madison did not provide a specific explanation for this sharp rise, it aligns with a broader trend showing the app's increasing penetration into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, even as some metro areas fall behind, News 18 reported.
Notably, Central Delhi secured the second spot on the list of top 20 Indian districts by Ashley Madison signups. The Delhi-NCR region overall demonstrated a strong presence, accounting for nine locations within the top 20. This includes six Delhi districts—Central Delhi, South West Delhi, East Delhi, South Delhi, West Delhi, and North West Delhi—along with neighboring cities Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida).
In contrast to Delhi-NCR's prominence, Mumbai did not feature in the top 20. But, other diverse cities such as Jaipur, Raigarh, Kamrup, and Chandigarh made significant appearances on the list. Tier-2 cities like Ghaziabad and Jaipur, in particular, outpaced many larger urban hubs in terms of signups and activity. The platform clarified that these rankings are determined not only by new user signups but also by activity intensity and engagement data, which collectively signal trends in infidelity and non-monogamy.
Paul Keable, chief strategy officer at Ashley Madison, commented on the trend, stating, “This data highlights a striking trend—India is leading the way in redefining modern relationships with more than half of surveyed adults admitting to infidelity. India is already ranked sixth among our global markets and we anticipate it climbing even higher by the end of the year. These numbers suggest the growing acceptance of non-monogamy."
This new data echoes earlier insights from April, when the platform shared results from a YouGov survey. That survey revealed that India and Brazil reported the highest rates of admitted infidelity among adults globally, with a striking 53 percent of Indian respondents admitting to having had an affair.
'Life is short. Have an affair'
Founded in the early 2000s, Ashley Madison launched with the direct tagline, "Life Is Short. Have an Affair." The Canada-based platform grew rapidly until a massive 2015 data breach exposed sensitive information of 37 million users, including names and addresses, Forbes India reported. Following the scandal, its parent company, Ruby Life, prioritised infrastructure rebuilding. Notably, until last year, Ashley Madison conducted minimal marketing in emerging markets like India, making its recent surge in Indian signups particularly significant.
“One of the things that caught us by surprise was the fact that India was eighth in sign-ups when we had no marketing presence for the brand in a number of years. That was based on an organic interest in what we have to offer,” Keable told the publication earlier this year.
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