diff --git a/src/ng/directive/ngRepeat.js b/src/ng/directive/ngRepeat.js
index f3a5ca7d8278..63fb5ff985d3 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/ngRepeat.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/ngRepeat.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
  * | `$even`   | {@type boolean} | true if the iterator position `$index` is even (otherwise false).           |
  * | `$odd`    | {@type boolean} | true if the iterator position `$index` is odd (otherwise false).            |
  *
- * Creating aliases for these properties is possible with {@link ng.directive:ngInit `ngInit`}.
+ * Creating an alternative name for the property `$index` is possible with the `index as` syntax.
  * This may be useful when, for instance, nesting ngRepeats.
  *
  * # Special repeat start and end points
@@ -90,6 +90,15 @@
  *
  *     For example: `(name, age) in {'adam':10, 'amalie':12}`.
  *
+ *   * `variable in expression index as property_name` - You can also provide an optional property name to be used
+ *     as the index. If no property name is specified the default property name `$index` is used.
+ *
+ *     For example: `item in items` is equivalent to `item in items index as $index`. This implies that the
+ *     property `$index` is used to specify the index.
+ *
+ *     For example: `item in items index as myIndex` can be used when there is a need to keep the index property
+ *     into a user defined property name. This is useful when dealing with nested ng-repeats.
+ *
  *   * `variable in expression track by tracking_expression` – You can also provide an optional tracking function
  *     which can be used to associate the objects in the collection with the DOM elements. If no tracking function
  *     is specified the ng-repeat associates elements by identity in the collection. It is an error to have
@@ -208,19 +217,20 @@ var ngRepeatDirective = ['$parse', '$animate', function($parse, $animate) {
     $$tlb: true,
     link: function($scope, $element, $attr, ctrl, $transclude){
         var expression = $attr.ngRepeat;
-        var match = expression.match(/^\s*([\s\S]+?)\s+in\s+([\s\S]+?)(?:\s+track\s+by\s+([\s\S]+?))?\s*$/),
-          trackByExp, trackByExpGetter, trackByIdExpFn, trackByIdArrayFn, trackByIdObjFn,
+        var match = expression.match(/^\s*([\s\S]+?)\s+in\s+([\s\S]+?)(?:\s+index\s+as\s+([\s\S]+?))?(?:\s+track\s+by\s+([\s\S]+?))?\s*$/),
+          indexBy, trackByExp, trackByExpGetter, trackByIdExpFn, trackByIdArrayFn, trackByIdObjFn,
           lhs, rhs, valueIdentifier, keyIdentifier,
           hashFnLocals = {$id: hashKey};
 
         if (!match) {
-          throw ngRepeatMinErr('iexp', "Expected expression in form of '_item_ in _collection_[ track by _id_]' but got '{0}'.",
+          throw ngRepeatMinErr('iexp', "Expected expression in form of '_item_ in _collection_[ index as _property_][ track by _id_]' but got '{0}'.",
             expression);
         }
 
         lhs = match[1];
         rhs = match[2];
-        trackByExp = match[3];
+        indexBy = match[3] || '$index';
+        trackByExp = match[4];
 
         if (trackByExp) {
           trackByExpGetter = $parse(trackByExp);
@@ -275,7 +285,7 @@ var ngRepeatDirective = ['$parse', '$animate', function($parse, $animate) {
           var updateScope = function(scope, index) {
             scope[valueIdentifier] = value;
             if (keyIdentifier) scope[keyIdentifier] = key;
-            scope.$index = index;
+            scope[indexBy] = index;
             scope.$first = (index === 0);
             scope.$last = (index === (arrayLength - 1));
             scope.$middle = !(scope.$first || scope.$last);
diff --git a/test/ng/directive/ngRepeatSpec.js b/test/ng/directive/ngRepeatSpec.js
index 9be6ec667e61..2338ca50753b 100644
--- a/test/ng/directive/ngRepeatSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/directive/ngRepeatSpec.js
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ describe('ngRepeat', function() {
     element = jqLite('<ul><li ng-repeat="i dont parse"></li></ul>');
     $compile(element)(scope);
     expect($exceptionHandler.errors.shift()[0].message).
-        toMatch(/^\[ngRepeat:iexp\] Expected expression in form of '_item_ in _collection_\[ track by _id_\]' but got 'i dont parse'\./);
+        toMatch(/^\[ngRepeat:iexp\] Expected expression in form of '_item_ in _collection_\[ index as _property_\]\[ track by _id_\]' but got 'i dont parse'\./);
   });
 
 
@@ -461,6 +461,29 @@ describe('ngRepeat', function() {
   });
 
 
+  it('should be possible to define the `$index` property when iterating over arrays',
+      function() {
+    element = $compile(
+      '<ul>' +
+        '<li ng-repeat="item in items index as myIndex">{{item}}:{{myIndex}}|</li>' +
+      '</ul>')(scope);
+    scope.items = ['misko', 'shyam', 'frodo'];
+    scope.$digest();
+    expect(element.text()).toEqual('misko:0|shyam:1|frodo:2|');
+  });
+
+  it('should be possible to define the `$index` property when iterating over arrays',
+      function() {
+    element = $compile(
+      '<ul>' +
+        '<li ng-repeat="(key, val) in items index as myIndex">{{key}}:{{val}}:{{myIndex}}|</li>' +
+      '</ul>')(scope);
+    scope.items = {'misko':'m', 'shyam':'s', 'frodo':'f'};
+    scope.$digest();
+    expect(element.text()).toEqual('frodo:f:0|misko:m:1|shyam:s:2|');
+  });
+
+
   it('should expose iterator position as $first, $middle and $last when iterating over arrays',
       function() {
     element = $compile(
@@ -618,6 +641,20 @@ describe('ngRepeat', function() {
   });
 
 
+  it('should be possible to use `index as` in nested arrays', function() {
+    element = $compile(
+      '<ul>' +
+        '<li ng-repeat="item in items index as outerIndex">' +
+          '<div ng-repeat="item in items index as innerIndex">{{outerIndex}}:{{innerIndex}}|</div>X' +
+        '</li>' +
+      '</ul>')(scope);
+    scope.items = [0, 1, 2];
+    scope.$digest();
+
+    expect(element.text()).toEqual('0:0|0:1|0:2|X1:0|1:1|1:2|X2:0|2:1|2:2|X');
+  });
+
+
   it('should ignore non-array element properties when iterating over an array', function() {
     element = $compile('<ul><li ng-repeat="item in array">{{item}}|</li></ul>')(scope);
     scope.array = ['a', 'b', 'c'];