An acknowledgement indication method for data transmission, comprising: detecting, by a base station, whether each user equipment, UE, in an acknowledgement group transmits data, to obtain a detection result, wherein the acknowledgement group comprises each UE whose data is to be detected by the base station; generating, by the base station, a first-level acknowledgement indication message according to the detection result, wherein the first-level acknowledgement indication message is used to indicate a flag bit status corresponding to each UE in the acknowledgement group, the flag bit status comprises a first state or a second state, the first state is used to indicate that the base station finds data, and the second state is used to indicate that the base station does not find data; sending, by the base station, the first-level acknowledgement indication message; when there is target UE in the UE in the acknowledgement group, checking, by the base station, data transmitted by the target UE, to obtain a check result, where the target UE is all UE whose flag bit statuses are the first state; generating, by the base station, a second-level acknowledgement indication message according to the check result, where the second-level acknowledgement indication message is used to indicate a type of acknowledgement feedback information corresponding to the data transmitted by the target UE, the type of the acknowledgement feedback information includes a first type or a second type, the first type is used to indicate that the data check performed by the base station succeeds, and the second type is used to indicate that the data check performed by the base station fails; and sending, by the base station, the second-level acknowledgement indication message. detecting, by a base station, whether each user equipment, UE, in an acknowledgement group transmits data, to obtain a detection result, wherein the acknowledgement group comprises each UE whose data is to be detected by the base station; generating, by the base station, a first-level acknowledgement indication message according to the detection result, wherein the first-level acknowledgement indication message is used to indicate a flag bit status corresponding to each UE in the acknowledgement group, the flag bit status comprises a first state or a second state, the first state is used to indicate that the base station finds data, and the second state is used to indicate that the base station does not find data; sending, by the base station, the first-level acknowledgement indication message; when there is target UE in the UE in the acknowledgement group, checking, by the base station, data transmitted by the target UE, to obtain a check result, where the target UE is all UE whose flag bit statuses are the first state; generating, by the base station, a second-level acknowledgement indication message according to the check result, where the second-level acknowledgement indication message is used to indicate a type of acknowledgement feedback information corresponding to the data transmitted by the target UE, the type of the acknowledgement feedback information includes a first type or a second type, the first type is used to indicate that the data check performed by the base station succeeds, and the second type is used to indicate that the data check performed by the base station fails; and sending, by the base station, the second-level acknowledgement indication message.