Drought tolerance of 201 varieties of foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.) from different ecological regions was investigated during germination with simulate water stress by -0.5MPa PEG6000. The results showed that the correlation was negative between germination drought resistance index (GDRI) and the relative ratio of root to sprout, and negative between GDRI and the inhibition ratio of sprout growth, and lower positive between GDRI and the inhibition ratio of root growth. The significantly positive correlation was found between GDRI and relative germination energy (RGE), and the correlation coefficient was 0.939. RGE could reflect the drought resistance at germination period of foxtail millet. Two hundred and one foxtail millet varieties were classified five groups as extremely drought tolerance, drought, moderate drought tolerance, no drought and extremely drought resistance based on GDRI.