Which one of the following forms of money supply is considered as the most widely used in the Indian monetary system?

In the Indian monetary system, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) publishes four alternative measures of money supply: M1, M2, M3, and M4 [4]. While M1 is the most liquid measure (narrow money), M3 is considered the most widely and commonly used measure of money supply [2]. M3 is also referred to as "aggregate monetary resources" [3]. It includes the components of M1 (currency with the public and demand deposits) plus net time deposits of commercial banks [3]. Historically, the RBI has shifted its focus toward M3 as a primary indicator for monetary policy and analysis because it captures a broader range of financial assets that serve as a store of value while remaining relatively liquid [2]. Although newer aggregates like NM3 have been introduced by working groups, M3 remains the standard broad money measure in general economic discourse regarding India [3].

Sources

1. [1] Macroeconomics (NCERT class XII 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Money and Banking > Legal Definitions: Narrow and Broad Money > p. 48
2. [4] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > 2.10 Money Supply > p. 54
3. [2] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > 2.10 Money Supply > p. 55
4. [3] https://www.tgc.ac.in/pdf/study-material/economics/Different_concepts_of_Money.pdf