In India, marriage goes far beyond a simple romantic union between two individuals, becoming a strategic and patrimonial alliance between two families, making arranged marriages the unshakeable foundation of the country’s social structure.
Despite the increasing emergence of love marriages among younger urban generations, these are still frequently perceived as a bold act of rebellion, often lacking the ritual validation and essential logistical support of elders.
To address this lack of trust and ensure the security of these unions in a rapidly changing society, many parents, like the Sethi family, are increasingly turning to specialized private investigators to conduct thorough pre-marital background checks.
One of the leading companies in this booming market is Sleuths India, an intelligence agency that handles thousands of cases each year to verify the authenticity of diplomas, actual income levels, romantic history, and even potential addictions of prospective spouses.
This surveillance, which might seem intrusive elsewhere, is here considered a necessary precaution to guarantee the stability of the « lineage » and prevent the risks of marriage fraud or disguised dowries.
These detective agencies thus become the new guardians of tradition, using digital surveillance tools and traditional tracking to offer parents the assurance that the proposed alliance respects the codes and requirements of their social standing.
This widespread use of private espionage underscores the ongoing tension between the desire for individual freedom among young Indians and the fierce determination of families to maintain control over an institution that, in 2026, remains the central pillar of Indian identity and the domestic economy.